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Cristiano Ronaldo was seen leaving the pitch abruptly as he expressed frustration following Portugal's 2-0 loss to Slovenia on Tuesday, March 26.
The Selecao's run of eleven wins in a row under head coach Roberto Martinez came to an end with the shock loss. After missing the previous game where they beat Sweden 5-2, 39-year-old Ronaldo was back in the starting lineup for this encounter in Ljubljana.
However, the Al-Nassr superstar could only show frustration as Slovenia shocked everyone with goals in the second half from Adam Cerin and Timi Elsnik. The Selecao attempted 10 times to score during the match, with two of those unsuccessful efforts coming from Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo had little effect on the game, and his frustration showed as he ended up getting agitated at the referee (via Daily Mail).
Portugal must now consider how to improve in the wake of this loss in order to be ready for their June friendlies against Finland, Croatia, and Ireland. They are getting ready for the Euro 2024 competition, where they will feature in the same group as Georgia, Turkey, and the Czech Republic.
Bruma wears Portugal's No. 7 jersey, the first player to do so since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007
Bruma donned the No. 7 shirt for Portugal, which Cristiano Ronaldo has owned since 2007 during a friendly match between Portugal and Sweden at Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques in Guimaraes.
This was the first time that someone other than Ronaldo has worn the No. 7 shirt for the Selecao in nearly 20 years.
Portugal showed off their might even without Ronaldo in the field, defeating Sweden 5-2. Roberto Martinez introduced Bruma to the game in the second half. With an assist from Bruno Fernandes, he scored the fourth goal and celebrated with the "7" on his back.
Bruma would have been pleased with his outing on the night, as he revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo is his biggest idol in an interview with Sport Bild (via GOAL):
"We always have a good chat. He's my biggest idol, but it feels more like a friendship. He's the best footballer in the world. He's a great person, a role model for everyone, especially the youngsters. That's why he's so important to the young players currently in the national team."
In the subsequent match against Slovenia, Ronaldo was back in the No. 7 jersey, while Bruma wore the No. 17 jersey.
